The written word has a long history, but the history of books written for or about LGBT people, regardless of the genre, spans about a century.

One of the slowest-growing genres within the LGBT book market is the children’s book. Alyson Books, a leading publisher of LGBT literature, features only four children’s books in its extensive collection.

Sandro Isaack, a gay man who one day would like children of his own, is out to change that one page at a time with his Dad Dad Mom Mom children’s book series.

Census data shows that 25 percent of same-sex couples in the U.S. are raising children, and there are other more progressive countries with an even larger number.

“These large numbers of children are reading mostly books from ‘borrowed’ universes. My series intends to create a universe for these children - their own universe in which the main characters happen to be same gender couples and their kids; something they can identify with,” Isaack said.

“Stork M.I.A.” is the first volume of this series. The book follows the story of Dad and Dad, who desperately want a baby and rather than wait for the Stork to bring them one, seek out to find her and ask for a baby. Their search takes them on a worldwide quest, and finally, with the help of Mom and Mom, they are able to find the Stork and are in return blessed with Little Ava.

Isaack creates a wonderfully illustrated world within “Stork M.I.A.” and rather than end with the typical “they lived happily ever after” line, his last words are “All children deserve a loving home.” However, he insists his book is not meant to be mistaken as a political statement.

“I am not advocating adoption over surrogacy; a stork is common ground for all kids no matter how you were brought up. It’s a universal way of bringing kids together and protects them from things they’re not yet ready to understand. Every kid has a stork in his [childhood],” Isaack said.

“The kids of today will be the adults of tomorrow and if they can learn acceptance at any early age it will benefit everyone. My book is for kids, all kids,” Isaack adds.

Isaack first read the book to his 3-year-old goddaughter, who having grown up around several same gender couples made no notice of the two main characters being two men, her excitement and concerns Isaack says were focused on the Stork’s shadow.

On the other hand, Isaack recalls that his 4-year-old niece, whose mother does not have as many gay friends, innocently asked why each Dad did not want their own baby if they were not married. This type of question, Isaack notes, can help ease communication between heterosexual and gay parents and their children.

“I am certainly not the first author to tackle this theme, and as important as it is for me to be a part of this book movement, at the end of the day it’s about my future kid having more [books] that deal with his or her universe to read,” Isaack said. “Identifying with characters growing up was a big deal to me.”

Bringing the Stork to life

Isaack was born and raised in Brazil. He came to U.S. in 1999 to obtain his masters in performance from the American Repertory Theatre at Harvard. After graduation, Isaack moved to New York where he pursued his career in acting.

However, Isaack’s career came to a halt in early 2008, when his vocal chords and neck became temporarily paralyzed for a period that lasted over year. During this time, in order to occupy his mind, he wrote and illustrated stories for his goddaughter.

As he neared a full recovery, Isaack decided it would be a shame not to share the Stork story with others.

To preserve artistic freedom with the storyline and illustrations, Isaack self-published “Stork M.I.A.,” but he would today like to find a publisher for the remainder of the series.

“Writing and illustrating the book only took me about three months because I had nothing but time,” Isaack said, “Even publishing it was easy, the hard part is getting the book out there for people to read. I had never done anything like this before and I had imagined it would be much easier. I was dreaming when I thought word of mouth would be enough.”

He was one of two children’s book authors at the second annual New York Rainbow Book Fair, and although the majority of attendees were adults, Isaack said he delighted in seeing them flip through the book and smile.

Since Isaack published “Stork M.I.A.” in February, he has managed to get the book in bookstores in New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco. With the help of his website, Isaack has also shipped books to destinations in Australia, Brazil and England.

To date, he has sold almost 1,000 copies. And for the remainder of June, 20 percent of sales of all Dad Dad Mom Mom products (he has T-shirts too) will go to bringing the book to less-privileged schools and libraries.

Isaack also schedules as many live readings as possible and would eventually like to travel nationwide doing so.

“It’s important for me to see the kids’ faces and reactions,” Isaack said. “It helps me to understand if I am telling the right story or if there was a mistake that I may need to change.”

The next books in the series are “DAD and WhatchamacallHim” and “MOM and WhatchamacallHer.” Each book will respectfully feature Little Ava, and in the case of the two moms, Little Paco, who like all children will awake in the middle of the night screaming for Dad and Mom.

In each book, both parents dash to the bedroom and this will cause Little Ava and Little Paco to ponder why they both respond to one “name” and send each child on a quest to find a new “name” for his or her other Dad and Mom.

“There are still many children and families to reach,” Isaack said, adding that he is seeking the public's help to reach a wider audience.

To follow him on Facebook click HERE and to learn more about him and the Dad Dad Mom Mom series visit his website.



(Author Sandro Isaack)